Tough as Cotton Balls
by ShadowRavens
Summary: A one shot that takes place during stage 2 of initiation when initiates are doing fear simulations. Told from Christina's POV when she goes into her simulation and faces one of her worst fears. Moths.


Christina's POV

"So, how have your simulations been going so far?" Tris asks me as I take a seat in the dark hallway with the other initiates. We are waiting to be called in for our fear simulations. After doing this a few times, I can't stand to think about them. They are the worst part of initiation so far.

"Not so good. How about you?"

"I'm always a little nervous before, but I feel better when they're over. What do you think you will have to face today?"

To be honest, I don't even want to imagine what I will be up against today. It could be anything from my worst nightmares.

"I don't have a clue." I reply

"Come on, Tris." says Four from the doorway.

Tris arises from her seat and goes into the simulation room with Four. Ever since stage two of training, Tris has been acting different. She has been finishing her simulations rather quickly and leaves out the back door to the dorms unlike everyone else. I sometimes wonder what she faces in her simulations.

My Candor senses are telling me that Tris is hiding something. I don't know what she has to hide, but I wish that she would be more honest with me; this isn't the first time I have seen her act suspiciously.

After about five minutes, I realize that it's my turn. _God. She's fast. _ As I step in to the room, I forget about Tris immediately. I am now utterly terrified at what I will have to face.

"Ok Christina," says Four. "I am now going to inject you with the simulation serum." I cringe has he places the syringe on my neck and injects me with that vile liquid that makes my worst nightmares come to life.

"The simulation with go in to effect in about 60 seconds." Great. This is my least favorite part. Waiting for whatever unexpected fear in the back of my brain to creep up on me at any second. I try counting the seconds but I loose count at 10. _Damn. I hate this. _ My chest tightens as I grow short of breath. I can feel my palms sweating and I become overwhelmed with fear.

And then darkness takes over the world.

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I am standing in a dimly lit room. There doesn't seem to be anything else in here, but I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. Something small lands on my right arm. At first there is just one, and then two and then three... Until they all come at once.

Moths.

Hundreds of them at once. I try to run way from them, but they follow me like an angry swarm of bees, close on my tail. Gaining on me until they attach themselves to me and pull me to the ground. Moths. Hundreds of creepy crawly moths.

Moths in my ear. Moths in my mouth. Moths in my nose. Moths feeding on me like I'm an animal carcass. I can feel them crawling all over my skin, with their disgusting little legs. I can hear the sound of their wings as they eat their way in to my ear. I feel them going down my throat and filling my insides. I feel them going up my nose making it difficult to catch my breath. I can't take it any more. I can't breathe, I'm drenched in sweat, and I'm shaking violently with fear. Sheer terror!

I try to scream but moths are clogging my air way. I'm going to die because stupid moths are taking over my body! The more I move or try to get away, the more filthy little moths attack me. More and more appear as if I am a magnet that attracts nothing but nasty insects. After a while I notice that not only are they multiplying, but they are growing bigger! With each moth that lands on me the bigger and more frightful it becomes.

And then I see it. The biggest moth of them all. It's huge; the size of a large dog. And it's coming towards me. I need to scream. Desperately. But no matter how hard I try, I can't. This moth, the king of all moths has landed on me bringing more of it's subjects with it. I'm trapped with no way out. The big moth now disintegrates in to thousands of smaller moths that spread around me drowning me in a sea of white. Fear replaces all of the organs on my body.

_Ok. Christina, calm down. _But I can't. No matter how hard I try, I cannot clam down. I roll around on the ground shaking, suffocating in this world of moths with no escape.

I am able to contain myself after what feels like hours of rolling around in a sea of moths. I hold still and close my eyes and let the moths eat me alive. Right when I am about to loose it, all of the darkness and the moths slip away...

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I awake with a shock.

As I gasp for air, I can hear Four talking to me. "Wake up, Christina. It's over." But it doesn't feel over. I am still shaking violently and I am brushing my arms and legs to get moths off that aren't there. "Christina," he says more firmly this time, "Your fear simulation is over. You are free to go now."

"Oak-k-kay." I say to him as I leave the room, barley able to walk.

I am afraid. Afraid that a swarm of moths will come to get me at any moment. Then it hits me._ Moths? Why moths? Why am I so afraid of this tiny little insect? Am I a coward? _

If I can't contain my fear of such a small, little thing, I'm I really cut out for Dauntless?

**Hey guys! I would love it if I got some feedback on my first story. Thanks!**


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